Sunrise Over a Sea of Blood
by nokturnal mortum
Summary: Rayquaza. Kyogre & Gurudon. A task placed in the hands of a single girl who has never trained pokemon in her life... until now. With Magma, Aqua, a shadow pokemon, and a mysterious man that steals her heart, how shall she surpass it? R&R please!
1. Pictures of Silence

**CHAPTER ONE**

_Fragile / Pictures of Silence / Melting the Skies_

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_**It was a war of slow destruction**_  
_ **Gnawing away at the flesh of Mother Nature**_  
_ **Between two selfish souls; the God of the Land, and the Goddess of the Sea.**_  
_ **They had a master, the God of the Sky, heavens, and all that below and above Earth, that would enthrall in their every battle… enjoying each bit of flesh that was torn, each drop of blood that was made, and the whole dying world in the power of it's hands…**_  
_ **Two other mystical creatures resembling red and blue dragons, forged two powerful orbs in the depths of the Cave of Origin:**_  
_ **The red orb to control the Sea Goddess, & the blue orb for the Land God.**_  
_ **From then on, the gods and their wrath would rest in peace…**_

**until now.**

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"**Y**es sir." Axel stepped back and bowed, showing courtesy to his master. Bruno on the other hand, wasn't so impressed.

"WHAT ABOUT US!" He lurched his left foot forward in rage, fist and jaws clenched. The man in dimness remained calm. "WHAT ARE _WE_ GOING TO GET OUT OF IT! HUH? ARE WE JUST SOME FUCKING PUPPET TO YOU? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING TO…"

"SILENCE, FOOL!" A tall, thin man with sleek, black hair tied in a tight ponytail behind his face, and dark, macabre cat eyes strutted forward out of the blackness; booming with no expression. "That, or I shall feed you to my dear Borknagar." He leered slightly and rubbed the muzzle of his snarling Houndoom as it too, came out of the shadows.

Bruno, muscular and raw looking, at times stubborn and too strong for his own good, knew his place, and backed down, his cold brown eyes softening a bit…a bit.

"Ye—ye-yes… Archie—SIR! I mean sir!" Archie didn't send his carnivorous vermin back as Bruno had hoped, but he relaxed his face to its usual monotone structure.

"Come now Bruno, why so nervous? Just a second ago, my, you most absolutely seemed to think you had the authority of Rayquaza… speaking of which…" He stepped behind the two men, his footsteps echoing on the hollow indigo tiles. Axel, the more obedient one, just stared at the floor, where as Bruno, who didn't like the nervous comment, turned around, his fury back in full force.

"NOW WHAT! YOU JUST MAKE A REMARK LIKE THAT TO WALK AWAY! WHO'S COWARDLY NOW! WHY I OUGHTA…" Archie faced toward Bruno, smugly. Smoke seemed to be fuming from Bruno's ears, and his gait was unsteady. Borknagar growled and began to reel at Bruno, but Archie put up his hand in protest, and looked back at the plain wall behind him. Using the other unoccupied hand, he took up a switch and immediately, light flashed into the wall as a picture came on screen.

"Do you see my vision now?" Archie beamed. Bruno wasn't satisfied.

"Oh c'mon boss, its just some lard, metal-y blue thing that looks like it could really kick some ass…I mean I don't see what it has to do with controlling Rayquaza." Axel took his gaze off the tile and shuffled around, believing it to be safe. "I agree, sir. What are you trying to say?"

"Kyogre," Archie began, "is the key to making the Earth fit for more…the damp of things, one might say." He took a quick look at his fingers, rubbing the pointer and ring one together, and then sought back at the lively screen. "To awaken that beast…" he heaved thoughtfully, "would ensure a lifetime habitat for those who can step into liquid." He came a bit closer to his confused employees and whispered harshly, "survival of the fittest."

Archie turned off the screen and huddled the two men together. "The power of that sea goddess is unimaginable. I chose you two for this because you are my strongest minions. Gather up the troops. We need to awaken this bastard, do you understand?" Archie cocked his long, thin brow.

"I thought it was female…" Axel commenced but Bruno nudged him out of the picture, presenting a colossal, conniving smirk. "Yes, your liege. We most utterly, most _completely_, understand _exactly _what you mean, and we plan to do something about it." Archie simpered haughtily. "Excellent."

**X**

"'**E**ffing boring this stupid, queer little town is, yeah that's what." Xyza grumbled to herself as she unpacked her room with the littlest effort possible, throwing her clothes all over & even setting her computer on top of her bed, which was really just a black futon (just as she pleased, to her mother, Debra's disdain) with red sheets and lacking any support. Xyza lazily flipped her lengthy ebony hair out of her face as she threw a stuffed Murkrow at random.

"_Oh you'll love it there! It's so quiet and peaceful, away from 'mass herds of civilians' as you call it bah, bah _MY ASS!" She tossed her alarm clock somewhere to the left and didn't even move a muscle when it crashed into something fragile. "I didn't mean OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF FITCHING NOWHERE DEBRA!" Xyza dumped the rest of her remains in a cumbersome pile and threw the box down the stairs hastily; Xyza traveled light. An irritated cry from down below followed by a colorful array of four letter words pursued almost immediately after.

"Hmm. Not bad." Xyza mused at the mystery man from below. "You could really use some of that colorful wording in excellent writing you know. Maybe even in learning a different language!" Grunt from beneath the staircase. Xyza scooted a trickle nearer to the stairway, but not close enough to be seen. "Yeah! That's the spirit! You could like, learn Caveman or, OH! Chinese! I've always wanted to learn Chinese… ho-fut soy sauce… mm yeah, that's good talk there." The man downstairs was not awed. "Look here little miss, I'm just trying to do my job by helping you people move in here, and I have _ENOUGH_ problems being yelled at by this schizoid obsessive compulsive bit…err…control freak and then I'm hit by a box… in the kisser." He mumbled the last part painfully. Xyza just shrugged, though he couldn't see it.

"Damn man, it was only cardboard. Only cardboard…"

"Xyza! What on Earth…? Are you bothering the movers, _again_?" Xyza's mom had piercing hazel eyes that could throw off even the most malevolent felon in all of the Earth… or at least Hoenn.

"Hey! Where'd _you_ come from?$!" Her mother did not reply at her daughter's surprised reaction. Xyza mumbled to herself she should've known better, mothers were creepy-ish like that, practically appearing and disappearing into thin air and stuff. She continued to debate anyway as the 'look' on her elder's face did not change, obviously needing an answer. "WHAT! It _was_ only cardboard! Besides…you won't let me take my anger out on you, on my bedroom furniture…"

"Your bedroom furniture?" Her mother rose an eyebrow in amusement.

"YES, my bedroom furniture, thanks, AND not even on my old poop of a father who's not even in the same damn town as us…"

"XYZA!"

"Well it's _TRUE_! If it weren't for him wanting to be interested in pokemon shit in the first place I could've stayed in Johto and…"

"What, and what?"

"Well, _damnit_! I don't know… I mean… c'mon Debra!"

"Mom…"

"Yeah, yeah, ok… _mother_, can't I at least take my intense anger out on the stupid movers?"

Debra paused. "That one you threw the box at did call me a schizophrenic OCD…"

"SEE! They're mafia! I KNEW IT! LEMME AT 'EM!"

"Your testimony is amusing, but just because they are foreign doesn't mean they're mafia men honey, and please, control your language! You sound like an immature teen, not a lady. You'll never get anywhere speaking like that."

"I AM AN IMMATURE _YOUNG ADULT_! SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLDS ARENT ADULT, WE ARE _YOUNG ADULTS_, THANKS. Um… anyways, yeah… I figured… but…"

"No. Case closed." Xyza's mother gave her another death glare before strutting downstairs, blabbering something to the movers about how the garbage can was turned left instead of right like she _liked it_.

Xyza stalled at the irony of the situation, and then gave her room a once over.

"What a fucking mess. I should clean it…" She squinted her eyes and scoffed. "Nah. It can wait. I think now would be a good time for me to be going to take a walk." With that statement, she climbed out the window of her second story chamber, James Bond style.

**X**

"So basically…" Xyza pulled out her map of LittleRoot, marking her general spot (which was in the middle of 'town'… if anyone could call it that) with her pointer finger, "LittleRoot has one neighborhood, where I live, yep, and um, it has… a Lab… a house next to the lab…a lab…a lake…a lab…gwar. Wow. A real thriller." Xyza took a breath and then threw down her map in vain, thrashing it with her massive combat boots.

"TAKE THAT YOU STUPID DAMN CONFUSING SON OF A BIT…"

"HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" A young boy wearing a purple sweater _way _too big for him and torn up jeans ran frantically in circles. Xyza had no idea what to do.

"Um…"

"HEY! YOU!"

Xyza blinked. "Me?"

The kid crossed his arms irritated, still fidgeting. "No, the Poochyena behind you… -gasp- LOOK! THERES A POOCHYENA BEHIND YOU!"

"What's a Poochyena?" Xyza asked herself calmly, blinking. She could see by the look on the kids face, it wasn't something cute and fluffy. She panicked, preparing herself for the worst.

"OH CRAP! UM…WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!"

"RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! RUN!" The kid began to stumble away, but turned around one last time to desperately shout, "IF YOU MAKE IT OUT ALIVE pant pant THERE'S A PACK OF THEM TO THE LEFT! THE PROFESSOR IS BEING RIPPED TO SHREDS! HELP HIMMMM!"

With that he was gone, and a baffled Xyza dared to peek at the drooling, snarling purple dog-thing behind her (she had never seen anything like this before; she obviously knew what pokemon were, but she came from Johto, so any pokemon in Hoenn were… at the moment… unknown to her knowledge). "GAH! GET AWAY FROM ME YOU DUMBFUCK!" She kicked it in the face and ran for her life, unfortunately to the left, which she was trying to avoid in the first place…

"Hot damn! That man's bleeding!"

The "Professor" had a huge gash in his leg, red ooze seeping all over. He didn't look like he was going to make it out of that crowd of wild Poochyenas.

"HOLY RAYQUAZA! What am I supposed to do?…um…" The professor rose out of the cluster, blood clumps in his scruffy brown hair and blood stains on his white lab coat; he looked ghastly. Xyza knew the man needed to be in the arms of professional help right away, but even though her dad had been with pokemon often, she never had anything to do with it…

She was hopeless.

"Hey! You! Please!" The professor screeched at Xyza as she stood there, paralyzed in shock. He dodged two of the Poochyenas jumping at his kneecaps. "There's a bag…" he ducked again "…over there!" Xyza spun in circles recklessly. "LOOK! THE KHAKI BAG BEHIND YOU! PLEASE HEL…" He went under, deep into the abyss of purple fuzz and bloody fangs. Xyza tried her best to find what she needed.

Bag…hmm...well… there's one…it's khaki… it's a sling bag…there's a pokeball…no…wait…yes? YES! THAT'S IT!

Xyza rushed over to it and grabbed for the pokeball that had spilled out, but she tripped over it and it rolled down the hill towards the lab; Xyza did _not_ have time to chase after that thing.

"UNMPH!" She kicked the bag in second attempt and surely enough, another pokeball reeled out. Immediately, a flash of pink light turned into a little blue, frog looking pokemon in seconds. Xyza was simply astounded.

"Mud! Mudkip! Kip?"

It seemed to be as puzzled as Xyza. "I know buddy, um, boy?" It growled "It?" It growled even more, showing it's sharp little teeth. "Oh crap, um, Girl?" The Mudkip calmed down and relieved, Xyza pointed to the chaos going on right next to them.

"That man needs help!" It didn't look like it understood. Xyza gritted her teeth in frustration. "ATTACK!" It stood there and blinked. Xyza fumed. "ATTACKATTACKATTACKATTACK!" Xyza grew very, exceedingly irate, and it showed in her expression. The Mudkip ran out of there before anyone could say 'sushi.' A few water sprinkles came down on the pack, and they backed off a bit, but it didn't seem to be enough; so Mudkip tried again, unfortunately, to the same result. The brave little pokemon took its chances, glowing red and sprinting furiously at the Poochyenas. Obviously, this wasn't the only thing that would be happening.

"Tree! Ko!" A lizard looking pokemon cried, its miniature (yet sharp) claws poking out of its fingers as it leaped towards the enemy.

"Scratch them up, boy!" A muscular kid with a red bandana and shoulder length, dirty blonde hair (that stuck-up and came over his face… strangely…) stood there in triumph. "That'll teach them to mess with my father." Xyza shook her head in disbelief. "Your _father_?" He looked at Xyza nonchalantly. "Yes ma'am, he's my father…" he checked her out and she lowered her eyebrows at him "…and I'm Brendan Birch." Xyza huffed cantankerously, but he didn't seem intimidated. "Who exactly are you, you fine, pretty lady?" She crossed her arms, annoyed. "I'm Xyza Haruka, and I think you should treat me with a little more respect, because if it weren't for me, your father might be dead." He stopped smiling. "Hey now, that's not funny. _I_ was the one that came and scared those Poochyenas off with _my_ Treeko. See? Look." She looked. _So that's what they're called._ The Poochyenas were scampering off, knowing that if they stayed any longer they might as well go to the flies. The two tired, little pokemon were trying to comfort the professor who was laying practically unconscious on the ground.

She sneered. "No, _I _was here first with _my_…my…um…pokemon. Yeah."

"What the _hell_?" He gaped his mouth and ran a hand through his shiny mane. "That's _your _Mudkip?" They stood in silence monitoring the Mudkip. _Mudkip!_ Xyza straightened up with a tad more confidence. "Um, yes, that is mine, not yours. I'm afraid you'll uhh… have to get your own Mudkip now. Mmhm."

He scoffed. "That's impossible. There's only one of those kind of pokemon each; Treeko, Mudkip, and Torchic. They just happen to belong to my father, the _professor_… so, the only way you could have one of them is…damn! You must have stolen it."

Xyza stomped her foot in oblivion. "WHAT THE HELL! IM NOT A GODDAMN STEALER! YOUR FATHER… oh, excuse me, the _professor _asked me to grab a pokeball out of his bag when he was being attacked and I was just strolling by, since I just moved here and all…"

"Well that explains a lot."

"SHUT UP! Anyways yeah, and I did as he asked, but the one I first had in mind had rolled away…HEY! Wait a minute! That means you must have stolen that Treefy…Trofo? Troloko? Treeso? Um…"

"Treeko, and I didn't steal it. That's ridiculous. The professors my _father_, you moron."

"Yeah, yeah SHUT UP! I knew that… Treeko… was its name, ok."

They paused, and after about fifteen seconds she leaped after him heedlessly. "YOU BASTARD! MAYBE IF YOUR BRAIN WAS AS BIG AS YOUR EGO YOU WOULD BE SOMEBODY IN LIFE, BUT NO, YOU LIVE IN THIS CRAPPY ASS LITTLE TOWN AND…" "Brendan…Bren…" A raspy voice huffed from away. "Father!" Brendan practically shoved Xyza to the ground, not being able to forgive the guilt that had weld up inside him at that very moment; _he had forgotten his father. Over a stupid girl…a stupid, blasphemous moron who probably couldn't tell the difference between a piece of dirt to a slice of cake._

"Hey pops, how are you?" The professor grunted in pain as Brendan put his hands under his fathers limp figure, attempting to lift him up from the ground. "Ungh, damnit, he's too heavy, and, hell, there's blood _everywhere_…" He set his father down in defeat. "I'm going to need some help here…Treeko? Mudkip?" The two pokemon shook their heads; they were too petite.

"Hey." Xyza plopped in the mud next to Brendan. He winced. "Listen, hun, I don't think this is the job for you, so take your little black skirt and white corset out of here, I don't think you want to get them dirty now." Xyza had to restrain a lot not to slug him right then and there. Looks didn't have _anything_ to do with a person's inner strength! She took a deep breath, her sky blue eyes shimmering with exasperation.

"Ok, 'hun'." Xyza sat on her knees and Brendan just gave her a look. "I have probably been through more tough shit then you have, so listen up." Brendan tried to protest, but she kept talking. "Even though I really, _really_, shouldn't be helping you, I know that the professor isn't a complete jerkoff… like you… and…hell we've wasted enough time!" She stood up abruptly, brushing the dirt off her knees. Xyza then bent over slightly, and she took firm hold of the professor's feet. "C'mon." She coaxed. "It shouldn't be that hard." Brendan nodded firmly and thus began the effigy.

**AUTHORS NOTE: **Hola :D first of all, be sure to review, please and thank you :) Second, this story mostly follows the _Emerald_ (game) plotline, but I've switched a few things up a bit, and added my own characters, and my own little pieces here and there… like, there's no Wally, and the heroine (Xyza… pronounced _Z_-_aye_-_uh_) doesn't fight gym battles, just the felons she has to face in order to survive…some other trivial stuff I thought my story could do without :) I also warn you that there is quite a bit of language…if you don't appreciate that, please don't read :) Anyways, I hope you like the story, although it starts out… uh… slow? Sorry 'bout that. The chapter names are from _…and oceans_ song titles, I thought they were rad :D Well, like I said, go review! I have the first two chapters done. Right. The third chapter is currently in work…it should be finished soon.

Adios amigos :D


	2. Chthonian Earth

**CHAPTER TWO**

_ Angelina / Chthonian Earth / Her Face Forms Worms_

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_It wasn't as easy as they had planned it to be._

"Man, I _really_ shouldn't be doing this…" Xyza mumbled as they struggled to hold him up. "ARRGH! Almost…grunt…there…" Xyza and Brendan gritted their teeth and mustered up all the strength they could as they lifted the seemingly lifeless man.

"Got it!" Brendan, who even though at first had trouble lifting his father up off the ground, was in fact extremely ripped, and he had no trouble holding up the professor (once Xyza had aided him in picking Birch off the ground, of course) with just his elbows placed complacently under his father's arms. Xyza, not letting this boy get too hard headed, went over and assisted him.

"Ok, let's carry him back to…to… um…"

"The lab."

Brendan finished her sentence casually, and Xyza shut her mouth, nodding slightly. "His assistant is also specialized in human healing. Don't worry, well, I mean worry, but…" his olive eyes intensified, and Xyza hung on his every word. "This isn't the first time this has happened."

They began to walk down the hill. Mudkip and Treeko, who were goofing around, obediently followed their trainers. Xyza was sincerely surprised.

"Wait…what did you say?" She revolted her head at him, expecting them to lock eyes, but he kept his gaze on their destination ahead. "You said… that this has happened… _before_?" She hesitated briefly. "I don't understand." Brendan scoffed, but not rudely. "Yes, of course it has, Xyza. He's a _professor_. Working out in the field, especially with evolved species, can be very perilous, even… even… _fatal_." He gulped and said no more. Xyza made an almost inaudible "oh" and they strolled on, in silence.

It was better that way./p>

**X**

"Brendan?" The professor whispered painfully. His eyes besieged to open, just to see the two silhouettes that were standing by his side, and the short, stubby one that seemed to be performing some sort of operation on him.

"AGH!" He stifled in agony as feeling rushed through his body once more. _Feeling_. Memory. _What had happened? Oh the hurt, so horrible… pinching… in my… veins. _He flinched, and the stubby feature, which had started to grow a nose and two beady eyes protected by thick spectacles, seemed to gasp in surprise.

"Is he awake?" A female voice spoke tenderly. _Female. Female? _Professor Birch couldn't recall the last time he had been with another woman. Ever since his wife had passed away, his work and his son had become his life. He felt a pang in his heart. It was probably just another one of Brendan's many girlfriends. He tried to take a look at her, just in case, but he couldn't move anything. _Too painful._

"Look…he twitched!" A young male spoke. Brendan. His _son_. The professor really tried to sit up now, but it was too unfeasible…

"He's really twitchin' now!" Brendan had a look of hope on his face. "C'mon man," he made a gesture at Peter, Birch's number one assistant, and smiled optimistically. "Let's bring him back up."

Peter nodded swiftly and plugged in the machine that the professor was hooked up to, pushing and turning some knobs. He then mentioned Brendan over to the device (which started screeching ear splittingly) as he adjusted the wires attached to Birch. Brendan glanced at the machine and then back up questioningly at Peter.

"What voltage should I put this on?" He shouted over the roaring of the machine. Xyza swore she could see the professor rolling his neck to the side, his blood splotched face squinting and cringing in terrible pain.

"Whatever needs to be done!" Peter looked up at the ceiling as the room seemed to be shaking. "Try 260 watts!" Brendan snapped his head towards the ever-busy Peter, his lengthy hair falling brutally over his face. Submissively, he turned back to the instrument and switched a few buttons.

"Alright!" He yelled. Him and Peter went vertically to the two opposite sides of the platform Birch was laying on.

"Xyza!" Xyza, who was quite entertained even in this life and death situation, shot her head up at the two men.

"Oui?" She smiled thinly. Brendan, his face dripping with sweat, took his left hand and ran it across his forehead. "I'd backup…backup _very_ far away…if I were you." Without question, Xyza raced away and cowered over into the farthest corner (of viewing distance, anyway) as electricity surged throughout the lab./p>

**X**

_Darkness. Earlier it was…light out…_

"Oh…" Professor Birch moaned._ What in Rayquaza's name is going on here? _He tried to sit up. It stung a bit, but he pushed with all his might; he _had_ to know what the hell was happening. Birch struggled, quenching his face in utter soreness.

"Err… ah! Woo." After five minutes of brutal stubbornness, inner and outer strength, he finally steadied himself so he could (at least) sit on his bum… but he couldn't see _any_thing. _Where was he?_

"I hear something!" A whispery voice that seemed to be _indefinitely_ far away, but was really only in the next room, cried in an upbeat manner."Oh c'mon, Bren-hoe. It's probably your inner …um …dude …thing." A girl replied uncannily.

_The girl! _The one that Birch seemed to recall as the one he had heard some time ago…a distinct voice…memory raced through him, _yes_, but… it was before he was knocked out cold… or warm? _Heat._ The professor wheezed distraughtly for air…his temperature was beyond boiling, and his throat was rather abrasive and arid. He tried to speak; it sounded like a dying Lombre.

"He…hel…" He gasped for oxygen, clutching his raw throat with crimson stained hands. He felt the cool liquid harden on his collarbone. _Liquid? _Birch found this to be odd. He was sweating but… sweat didn't harden. He checked just in case, and even if he couldn't see, he could smell, which was exactly what he did.

"Blood?" He sniffed again and took a small taste. Good Rayquaza, it was blood! Thankfully, most of it had hardened by now, yet still… why? He was… _bleeding_? What exactly had happened to make him feel so damned ill…

"Professor! OH YOU'RE AWAKE! Thank Rayquaza!" A squeaky voice rang in his ears… it sounded like, no, could it be? _Peter_? A light switch turned on somewhere, but he still couldn't see too well. He heard heavy footsteps racing around in frenzy. Ah yes, it _was_ Peter. Birch laughed to himself, even though it was more like a sickly hiss.

"Professor? Can you see?" No reply. Peter straightened his thick spectacles and laughed whole-heartedly.

"Oh my! Silly me, of course you can't see! Posh… what a mess…hoot…" Peter started to curse to himself as he turned the temperature down at seeing the professors violent shaking and sweating, which he was unaware of himself.

Peter came back over to the Professor, and removed the wet cloth that had been placed over his face after the "operation." Peter tried his best not to wince at all the sweat on it. "Um… let me fetch you a new one Professor." He ran off.

_Finally_. Birch could see. Even so, his eyes felt weary and crusty. He still wanted to ask what had went on, his memory had failed him thus far, but he knew the consequence of speaking, and decided to stay quiet.

"Cat got your tongue?" The girl spoke. She rolled a cart over by his bedside and a Mudkip… which seemed vaguely familiar… handed him a warm cup of tea that stung his eyes. He squeaked an "ouch."

"Ouch?" Xyza was confused. Birch tried his best to smile so she wouldn't feel bad, he supposed she didn't realize that the warm smoke hovering over the glass had hurt him. Xyza attempted to curtsey, but tripped backwards instead, almost toppling the metal cart over, and dashed away saying "oh, crap" really loud. Birch chuckled to himself again and took a sip.

"PBBTHT!" He spat it out. _Paralyze Heal!_ What the _hell_ was Peter thinking! No _wonder_ it was a struggle to move about! He had been _paralyzed_? He pushed his brain, desperately scavenging to remember what had put him in this horrid state.

"Oh, is the tea that bad?" Peter frowned as he walked over, returning from his duty. Birch shook his head and Peter sensitively pressed the cool cloth on the professor. Birch squinted and mouthed _why the hell is there paralyze heal in this tea? _Even so Peter didn't seem to comprehend.

"Very well sir, I know it's hot, but um… the paralyze heal should kick in very soon, especially after a shock treatment like that." He patted the professor kindly and walked towards the exit. _Shock treatment? _Birch narrowed his brow. What _other_ possible things could have happened to him while his brain was on lock-down?

"Oh! By the way, don't you worry about all your research from yesterday. We were so very lucky to recover it all!" Smiling, Peter shut the door tightly. Birch almost spat out his tea a second time.

_Research! _The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together.

"About time." Birch grinned and gingerly sipped his remedy.

**AUTHORS NOTE:** Hey everyone :) Like I said, the story starts out quite slow, so please give it time. Yes, I admit that it may be hard to connect with the characters, since most of them are from my own creation, but things should begin to pace up in the next chapter… which is called _Halcyon / The Heavy Silence / In Silent Rain_

Oh, and please do review, I would love your opinions :)

Until next time, peace :D


	3. The Heavy Silence

**CHAPTER THREE**

_Halcyon / The Heavy Silence / In Silent Rain_

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"**K**eep it moving! We're almost there!" Shouted a tall female clad in a tight, leather body suit. Her short red hair hung entirely over one side of her face, covering whatever scars lay behind there.

The sky was a grisly indigo, and smoke clung about the burgundy cliffs sticking out from above the ground. An army clothed in red and black robes marched on much like a toy soldier set, so perfectly macabre, not stopping to blink; they only would if their prey had fallen into their trap.

The woman, who's intense, lime green eyes seemed to knock anybody dead in their tracks, practically exploded when they laid sight on the tropical clearing. A red dragon, (called by some), _Latias_, was flying in circles around the colossal cliffs that transcended over the passageway like Godzilla's shadow.

"There it is!" She cried victoriously. The army faced the enemy and scurried about, hiding in different areas that shaded them until they were ready to attack.

"Hold your fire!" She barked, and began to walk toward the unknowing beast, pulling out her black rifle that was _surely_ bigger than she was. "This is going to be my task… Archie can't do anything to get in my way of this. I'm going to acquire that blue orb no matter _what_." She sneered to herself quietly.

The creature caught her standing there, with the bulky item looming over her right shoulder. It began to fly around faster, creating a challenge for her.

"Oh, you son of a gun, you think you're so much more clever than me, eh?" She pulled the trigger. "Well clever this, dragon-god."

A blaze of menacing fire carrying the bullet hounded after Latias, ripping it spot on the side of its body. Its devious expression turned into a tangled strain as it descended from the sky, plopping into the hot sand, crimson blood pouring out of the wound. Large chunks of the cliff started flying at the army from its downfall. An insuperable puff of sand shrouded the atmosphere, sounds of the creatures heaving cries beseeching as the sandstorm cleared up.

The woman merely coughed, looking at Latias with vain, not pity. Her cold-hearted self gave the creature a once-over, and then she turned to her army that was crowding around the entrance.

"Bring the net! We have to get this thing back to our lair as soon as possible!"

Twenty or so of the soldiers passed the mesh up to the front of the herd. All rushed over to the creature, placing the wire netting over it's wounded self.

The beast started to screech as the sharp steel cut deeper into its gash, thrashing about like a fish out of water before it's last breath.

"Take it to the lair, NOW!" The woman hollered and began to take another route higher into the mountain. One of the soldiers dropped the netting, as the rest of them struggled to drag it back through the caverns they had surpassed to come up here.

"Maxie!" He panted, "Where are you going?" She halted, and without turning around breathed, "I have some other… _personal_… business to attend to."

With that statement, she strode away, her gangly figure disappearing completely from sight.

**X**

_Shaking rapture. A violent storm. No… earthquake …something … quaking… so malevolent…_

"Xyza! Wake up!" A deep, masculine voice barked.

"Nuh…" Xyza peeled her face off the sticky tile, at first thinking she was in some dream. The chilled, solid ground beneath her felt alien, and not like home. "Onion Pikachus." She blurted and sleepily opened her eyelids. "Where am I… who are…"

"MUDKIP! WATERGUN!"

Xyza's eyes shot wide open and she bound off the ground in a matter of seconds.

"GAH! OKOKOKOKOKOK! DAMNIT! IM AWAKE, IM AWAKE! I KNOW WHO I AM! IM XYZA! RIGHT…right…um…"

She blinked as his lips began to quiver.

"Oh, crap."

The male figure started laughing hysterically. Xyza did not find this funny.

"Oh, you _are_ cute when you're mad." He snickered in between breaths.

Xyza made squinty eyes at him when the little pokemon ran over to hug her ankle. "YOU DOUCHE BAG!" She growled playfully, pointing at the boy with a smirk on his face. "First of all I'm not '_cute_' thank-you-very-much, and second… gah. Man! Brendan! I am _so_ going to get you back…"

"GOOD MORNING!" A man bellowed cheerfully. He came over to Brendan and gave him a slight hug.

"Son." Brendan nodded. He walked over to Xyza, who felt lost, yet again.

"Hello, Xyza…" Birch went and shook her hand tenderly, mainly because her shake was a non-existent limp. Xyza was really damn confused.

"Um… but… oh, crap… you… know me?… how… and… but… sick… you were… were…"

He laughed with a good nature as Xyza babbled like a two year old.

"Yes, of course I remember, how could I forget?" He grinned. Xyza felt like she was drowning in stupidity and bewilderment.

"Erm…really? Uh…but…how…"

He gave a sweet chuckle. "It took me all night to figure it out, but with a few little clues here and there, I was able to place the pieces of the puzzle together." He paused attentively. "That's how it is in the life of a professor. Deductive reasoning, critical thinking." He rubbed his hands together and nodded in agreement with himself. Xyza just stood there like a moron. Brendan gave her a look, and she hissed back at him.

"Err…yes, yes, indeed, here-here, to critical reasoning and me saving the proof, I say!" Xyza cheered, thrusting a toast with an invisible glass into the air.

Silence. No one had cheered to her applause. After some awkward stillness, Birch and his son burst into another fit of chaotic laughter. She started thinking something was seriously wrong with this family. Maybe they needed professional help… or Ritalin.

Birch calmed down a tad. "Why of course, child! You saved me from my horrid accident…"

"As did I!" Brendan interrupted annoyed, glaring at Xyza, who gladly returned the favor.

"…As did you, son… but…hmm." He sighed. "That Mudkip seems to really like you, Xyza."

She looked down at the pokemon clinging to her leg. "Um…Mudkip?" Brendan snorted and she leered back at him.

"YES! I… uh… like it too." She gave a dry grin. "Alot." Birch nodded. "That's good because…" he smiled benignly, "she's all yours."

"_WHAT_?" Xyza and Brendan yelled in unison.

"Is there a problem?" He questioned complacently.

"YES!" "NO!"

"NO!"YE-NO…"

"NO! "YES!"

"Asshole…" "Bastard…" Xyza and Brendan refused to look at each other any longer.

"Come on, you two, you are too old for that nonsense." Birch shook his head, considering scolding them, but in the end decided to proceed on with his task. "Anyways, Brendan, don't fret, I am also giving you a pokemon of your own as well…"

"Oh, sick. Seriously?"

"Why yes of course…"

"Did you say, sick?" Xyza interrupted. Brendan acted like it was nothing and she was mentally deficient.

"I did."

She grunted. "So… you're saying that you having your own pokemon is… sick?" Brendan nodded.

"As in a disease? Like… gonorrhea or…"

"WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WOAH. Dang. Sick, as in like cool, rad, sweet…" he tilted his chin at Xyza. "You have alot of questions don't you?" She blinked as she usually did when her brain was taking its leisurely time to process. "Um…"

Brendan mumbled something about her being a dumbass moron and ran a hand through his slick hair, then thoroughly brushed it with his fingers. Xyza wanted so badly for Mudkip… _her_ Mudkip, to chop it all off.

"Your hair looks nice." Xyza lied. "So. Stop playing with it." He scowled and Birch split the two of them up.

"Alright, alright you two, _enough_ already." The professor huffed and went a few steps away, grabbed something, and came back to them… holding ten pokeballs in his previously empty arms.

"Five for you each!" He presented the items. Xyza just stared at them.

"Um… you know… if I'm going somewhere…" she trailed off. Birch inquired her remark. "Yes Xyza?"

"Uh…" she bit her lip. "Doesn't my mom need to know something about this? I mean I bet she had no idea where I was all night…"

"Already taken care of." Peter appeared out of nowhere, and Xyza almost shouted in surprise. _Him and mom would get along well_, she mused.

"What? Uh… how… but… where…" Peter and Birch guffawed. "She said to take this with you, and to say goodbye before you leave…" Xyza, dumbfounded, took the black sling-bag Peter had presented her with. When she looked to question him further, he had gone, and Birch was turned around to an impatient Brendan.

"_Excuse_ me, chicky." Brendan pushed Xyza out of the way and took his share casually. He opened one ball to find his Treeko inside, and sulked a bit.

"What the… dad… man! This was _already_ my pokemon. You said I could have a _new_ one." Birch laughed thinly. "No, Brendan, I said you could have your _own_… and you _do_ have your own pokemon." He smiled mischievously. Brendan plopped himself on one of the counters behind them, staring at the floor. "Haha, very funny." He mumbled. Xyza, who was tired of all this arguing that seemed to be happening in her life 24/7, glanced at the red and white spheres Birch was holding. "Oh, crap…"

Birch's expression turned a bit grim. "Is something the matter?"

Xyza sighed. "Yes… no… but… ok. I mean, my father works with pokemon but _me_…? I don't know anything about 'em…"

She took five of the pokeballs appreciatively and looked Birch dead in the eye.

"How do I use these things?"

**X**

"Let me run through this _again_ with you, ok?" The wind blew past, carrying a sigh from two young teens who were stretched out in the pastures on the outskirts of Petalburg, (right beside Mr. Briney's cottage), rather depressed about the day's antics. The tall, green grass blew passively around them, the pure blue sky was without a cloud in sight, and the small, glassy body of water right in front of their eyes reflecting the burning sun… it was beautiful.

"You… are… not… going… to… lose… your… personal… life… because… of… me." Xyza finished the end part cheerily, which made Brendan want to push her into the lake even more than ever. _She's probably too stupid to swim, let alone float in water…_ Brendan scoffed.

"You are a _dumbass moron_. You take _too long _to learn things."

"HEY! That's not true!" Xyza barred her teeth at him wrathfully. "It didn't take me _that _long to learn how to use a pokeball…" Brendan snorted. "_WHAT_! I mean it didn't take a whole day… see! Look at the sign over there!" She pointed to a sign a few feet ahead of them that read 'NEXT TOWN: 10 MILES.' He overlooked it and slumped. She shook him violently as he buried his face into his kneecaps.

"C'MON BRENDAN!" She spoke through gritted jaws. "We are almost to…" Xyza trailed off and pulled up her map swiftly. "Rustoburo!" Brendan brought his head up. He looked terribly tired. She tried her best to comfort him. "Yeah! You see, after that, um, scary forest over there… we'll be in Rustoberry! Yay!"

"Rustoburo." Brendan corrected her mundanely.

"Um… right… well, anyways, like I said before, it didn't take me _that_ long to learn how to catch a pokemon, I mean it only took me…" she began counting her fingers, and Brendan, irritated, stood up and strolled off.

"HEY YOU! BRENDAN! YOU CANT RUN OFF WITHOUT ME! WE'RE PARTNERS!" He ignored her, and Xyza sprung up off the ground, her fists clenched in fury. "That bastard. He better be worth this…" she began to scurry behind him as he kept a deliberate pace, chasing after him for who knows how long; she sure as hell wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Xyza was content just as long as he was there for her to tag along behind him…

"Brendan! I'm sorry if I annoyed you! I'm new at this! Brendan please listen! Brendan… damnit! I really am sorry, so yeah, you can stop running away from me anytime now! Please, Brendan, please…"

She came to a halt and paused. Two inches from her face, Xyza realized, she was near a shrine… a small… beige, stone shrine that was glowing a magnificent pastel grey. Everywhere else seemed a collapsed black, towering pine trees hovering over her vulnerable body. Why she had halted, she supposed, was some force that held her back from bumping into this spiritual monument. Xyza felt a wave of another spirit pass through her body. Xyza jumped back and shivered so sadistically, she fell rear down on the ground. The shrine began to glow even more, the luminous substance flying around in viscous swirls. They reached for Xyza, but suddenly diffused out just as they were going to wrap around her. She saw a soaring creature rise from the spot, it's eyes closed. It had long, green mane, vicious red eyes and seemed to be wearing a pink and white gown, although that was just it's body.

"_Gardevior_…" It chanted in a long whisper, floating around Xyza for a few minutes. Xyza had no clue what to do, under normal circumstances she would have tried to capture it, but she was mesmerized… possibly even a bit possessed.

It kissed Xyza on the forehead, and faded away.

This wouldn't be the last time she saw this mysterious creature.

**AUTHORS NOTE:** GAH! This editor is so damn messy! Oh well. I guess you'll just have to deal with the hideous version. I don't have it anywhere else except in MSW. So sue me. No, don't. You know what… I'll shut up now. Ok, anyways, about that end part… yep it was kind of lame, with the Gardevoir, I know, but you peeps shall see! It'll help Xyza later on :) Um, next chapter is called, _Voyage / Lost Between Two Horizons / Eaten By the Distance_ & I have yet to finish it. Actually, I haven't even started it… so, go & REVIEW, REVIEW, I NEED OPINIONS! Please? Hmm.

Au revoir mes amis :D


	4. Lost Between Two Horizons

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_Voyage / Lost Between Two Horizons / Eaten By the Distance_

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"**I **can't… no… it's not possible… everything… it was… oh _hell_…" a man, who looked rather ludicrous, with his jelled back chestnut hair and fancy attire, was pacing frantically around the corner, barely visible through the thicket of trees. Xyza rubbed her forehead & steadied herself up to see there was no shrine in sight. _Had she dreamt it all? _Xyza shook her head and span around in a befuddled manner.

"What in the…"

The man butted in front of her, oblivious to everything, continuing to talk to himself. "I can't believe… they can't steal my… I have to… to hide… why now… why…" He tripped over a thick stick between them on the ground, flailing recklessly into Xyza.

"WHA-OW!" She cried, startled, as the man's burly body crashed into hers.

Xyza wasn't exactly paying attention, for her mind was rather jumbled with thoughts; _where was she to find Brendan, & how, & what exactly had happened to her earlier, was it all a dream or not?_ Nevertheless, they went tumbling over each other. Xyza pushed the man off and scrambled a few inches away as he grunted.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU PERV!" The man just glanced at her blandly. His formerly jelled back mane was hanging dejectedly over his overwrought face.

"It… was… an accident… you see…" He began to crawl upwards but a shiny, onyx boot, with acute spikes on the side, crushed him down. Xyza looked up at the owner of the boot, to see a man clothed in a black and blue robe. His face was covered with a hood from the robe as well, but what she could make out of his face had pure consternation; he did not look friendly _at all_. He frowned forebodingly & kicked the ludicrous man over, placing the heavy boot on his skinny, pale neck.

"You have something I want."

The first man gulped. "No… no… you don't understand… someone else has tried to take… take it from me…"

The other, vile, one pressed his boot deeper into the first man's throat.

"Tell me were it is. Tell me where the Devon Goods are, Talon."

"How… how do you know my…"

He threw his head up in a menacing laugh. "Do you know who I am? Maybe that would hint you… or hinder." His boorish voice deepened smugly.

"Well maybe if you lifted up that stupid hood up over your face he could." Xyza blurted out. She had had _enough_ of this guy. He kept his position on the unfortunate Talon, yet he still zipped his livid expression towards her.

"Who are you exactly? One of Magma's fiends?"

Xyza blinked. "What's a Magma? Is it like a Poochyena?"

He laughed cruelly again, stomping over to her. "No, no, that's not right. You're much too young… and stupid…" He suspended. "Unless… unless, you are a decoy in disguise…" He seemed to ignore that thought & proceeded on with his task.

"Little girl, see that man?" He growled at her seriously, pointing at Talon.

"Yep, of course I do, you dumbshit. I knew you were there when we toppled over each other… at least… I'm pretty sure you were, since people like you just don't decide to pop out of nowhere, you wait in the dark and all… but yeah, more precisely if I think about it, Talon… if that's his name… toppled over me first… I was just looking for my friend… and um… um…"

Xyza guzzled and tried to give her nicest smile as the man held a sword up to her throat. She could see up his sleeve, his skinny arm had surprisingly bulky muscles protruding from his skin, which scared her half to death.

"Um… excuse… me… man… sir… uh… could you please… uh… take the sword away from my throat… those happen to be vital organs you know… ok… please…" Xyza flailed her hands in the air, but he didn't move a muscle. "Well… um… could you… just… leave that dude and me alone? We're just regular people… please… we don't have anything you need… want…"

"Listen here, little girl. You better quit being a smart ass with me. I have a mission that will benefit many others & _myself_, possibly including you. I _will_ kill you if you stand in my way, you don't matter a thing to me. Got it?"

Normally Xyza was stubborn about her own way, but she wasn't going to get murdered over it. She narrowed her brows at him. "Fine."

He poked the weapon a bit deeper into her flesh with the tip, and then strode away, back to Talon.

"I…" he opened up his cape, revealing a Zubat hidden under his robe, and then closed it back up. He whipped his sword around lethally in the air, jeering with grand pride. "….I am Avalos, from Team Aqua." He pointed his blade at Xyza and lowered his eyes. "I summon you to a battle."

"TEAM AQUA!" Talon opened his mouth in surprise, and scrambled towards Xyza. "What… what could you possibly want from that girl… from… _me_? Why the Devon Goods? Why…" He scoffed. "…you're just a _grunt_. What is your business with the Devon Corporation?"

Avalos scowled and gritted his teeth. "That matter is not important. Archie, the master of the glorious, all vigorous Team Aqua, sent _me_ on a mission, and it is _my_ job to fulfill it. As of the girl…" he eyed her suspiciously. "She obviously means something to you. If I can destroy her, you can surrender to me."

Talon laughed nervously. "Oh no, no, I don't even know her. You can have the girl, I don't care." Xyza gave Talon a defiant stare, and Avalos smiled cunningly.

"Well, then, that makes things much easier. I can just kill you, since this girl doesn't know you, or care, either, I presume." Talon wheezed at the same time Xyza snorted. "If you want the whatever-it-is Goods so badly, why didn't you just kill him in the first place instead of waiting until now?"

Avalos smirked and dug his sword into the dirt, with his two hands placed superciliously over the golden handle. "Well now, what kind of gentleman wouldn't introduce himself before killing his prey?"

Talon's eyes widened & he fell flat on his back, even though he was already crouched up on the forest floor. Xyza wanted him to have a taste of his own medicine, but she was sure that this Team Aqua, whoever they were, had bad intentions. She brought out her Mudkip and sighed.

"Last time I checked, gentleman didn't _kill_ people… oh damnit. I'll battle you, Avalos. Bring it on!" She had no idea how to battle, but it was worth a shot. Xyza strongly despised people that had major ego trips, like Brendan, which reminded her…

Avalos had a smug look on his face as he sent his Zubat forth. "Well, well. What a nice pokemon. I bet it's rare." His Zubat began spitting poison darts at Mudkip, and Mudkip tried her best to dodge them.

"You sure say _well_ a lot…" She stepped back a bit from the pokemon battle. "Anyways, what do you mean it's rare?" Xyza questioned as Mudkip spewed muck at the bat creature. "I know, yeah, there's only one of it, as far as Brendan told me, but _rare_? It's so small!" Avalos laughed. "My girl, small it may be, but when it grows… hmm, yes. Child, if there is only one like it, it is rare. Do you not know the definition of rare?" Zubat sent some sort of supersonic wave at Mudkip, but it missed. Avalos sneered. "You must be more stupid than I thought."

Mudkip raced up to the Zubat and scratched it up fairly well, and after a matter of moments, the bat creature fell to it's fate, thin lines of wet blood seeping from the little scars Xyza's pokemon had made. Avalos didn't seem devastated. He simply called back his pokemon and bowed.

"You have beat me. Well done."

Talon stood up by Xyza and clung to her like a ravenous leech. She shoved him off and murmured to him coarsely. "Cut it out! You're older than me! Stop being such a big baby!"

Xyza stepped towards Avalos and snapped her fingers "Boo-Yah Avalos!" He nodded swiftly and walked over to Talon, grabbing him by the shirt collar.

"We aren't through with you yet." Avalos whispered vigorously in his ear. Xyza meanwhile, picked up her pokemon and held her up in the air for a few seconds (**AN:** –lion king moment- hahaha) before putting her on the ground and patting her on the head.

"Nice job, Mudkip."

Avalos stood there in the distance, watching as Talon clutched his chest gratefully, relieved (for now) and glanced at Xyza who was putting her Mudkip back in its ball. He cowered his brow. "Until our next meet…" Avalos turned around, facing the exit of the forest.

"You_ shall not recognize me_."

**X**

"Good Rayquaza." Xyza breathed, tired of the all the recent action. Talon went over to Xyza and thanked her swiftly, then ran off.

"Um… ok… you're welcome?" Xyza replied a tad too late, and spun around in circles.

"Oh, crap. How the hell am I supposed to get out of here?" Xyza looked for a sign or some sort of exit somewhere, but she couldn't seem to find anything other than dirt and weeds.

"Gah I hate being lost… AHHHH! OHMYRAYQUAZAOHMYRAYQUAZA WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING? YIEEEEEE!" A worm like pokemon with yellow spores and an orange and white body slinked up her leg, leaving a gooey, stringy substance behind it, much like a slug. She tried kicking it off, but it seemed to take a liking to her.

"MUDKIPMUDKIP!" Xyza cried as she struggled to find its pokeball. She found it, and brought her only pokemon out, cringing in fear and disgust.

"Okay girl, get this weird… slug thing away from me…PRONTO!" A passer by in a yellow shirt, tacky teal shorts, and a straw hat carrying a bug net laughed and stood in front of her.

"Hello. I'm James." He smiled and saw the confused Mudkip standing by Xyza's side, most likely thinking her trainer was only in need of some company. James scratched his chin. "You must be new to pokemon, huh?" Xyza just looked at him strange as the bug pokemon clung to her thigh.

"You are. I can tell." He paused and bent over to take a good look at the bug. Xyza flinched, hardly thinking if he was looking up her skirt or not, she was more concerned about the bug; bugs were her on her top ten weaknesses.

"Ah, a Wurmple!" James tried to poke it, but Xyza bolted her knee at his wrist.

"Ouch! Alright, alright, I'll leave it alone…" He kept examining it even so.

"You better man, you better." _If that guy tries to get fresh again, I'll kick his nose off instead_. Xyza smiled at the thought.

"Interesting pokemon, Wurmples are, yes." He stood up and grinned immensely. "They really aren't that feeble of a creature either, at least, once they evolve!" James erupted into laughter. Xyza raised an eyebrow in question, as she couldn't find anything funny about a pokemon that evolves, since most of them did anyway. He reached behind his back and grabbed something. He then held out his bug net like he expected Xyza to jump in it.

"Mind if I take this fellow from you? I collect bug pokemon, and since this little guy looks friendly, I'd appreciate if you let me take him off your hands. I'd hate to hurt another one I may find in order to catch it." Xyza squinted at him. "Oh no, you are _NOT_ touching my legs!" James looked surprised for a second and then laughed again. "Oh my, what an expression!" Xyza blinked and relaxed her face, rubbing her cheeks with her hands to try to soften up the muscles.

"Thurfs nufling wrung wif mufh fdace…" Xyza told James while still massaging her cheeks, making it sound like she had either lost all her teeth or was chewing something.

"No, of course not." He smiled, yet _again_, and she stopped massaging her cheeks. "Um…ok...?" James sighed. "Don't worry, I'm not going to touch you or anything like that, but my net might. Just let me have the Wurmple crawl into this cradle here, and I'll be on my way. Sound good to you?" She squinted her eyes again.

"Sure, but only if you can show me out of this god-awful forest, and into Rustboro, before you go 'on your way' or whatever you said." James put his net on her thigh as it started to move again, thankfully into his net.

"Gotchya!" He grinned and pulled out a pokeball, which zapped the Wurmple immediately. Xyza rubbed her forehead.

"Um… ok… so… are you going to…" "This way." James mentioned his hand forward and began walking north. Xyza followed him, her Mudkip trailing at her ankles, drooping a bit.

"I really need to rest once I get into the city…" Xyza mumbled to herself, trying to steady her posture as she picked up Mudkip, clutching the pokemon to her chest with both arms.

"Hey James, Rustburo is a big city right?" James glimpsed at her with wide eyes. "Oh yes, one of the biggest in all of Hoenn, aside from perhaps Lilycove and Slateport, but you are far from either of those places." Xyza groaned. "Gah. I hope I can find a place to stay…" "I'm fairly sure you can find a place to stay at." Xyza groaned again. James gave her a concerned look as she swayed around, trying to walk straight.

"You ok? You look worn out to the bone." Xyza shook her head. "No. My life has gotten freaky-crazy in the past few days, ever since I moved here…" She trailed off and they walked the rest of the way in silence.

**X**

Xyza soon noticed the dirt change to grass, and eventually the grass into a wooden bridge, back to grass, and finally into solid marble. Xyza glanced around to see a bustling city surrounded by a tall black gate.

"Welcome to Rustburo!" A man wearing a maroon suit, similar to Talon's royal blue one, opened up the front gates. He smiled at Xyza and James, just a bit _too_ cheerily, his pearl white teeth shining in the bright sunlight.

"Hey!" Xyza perked up and bopped her head around, peering into the man's mouth. "I can see myself in your teeth!" He closed his mouth and backed up a bit. "Err, yes, very well. Come on in." He put his arm around her waist and ushered her into the city. Xyza turned around, smiling, and waved appreciatively at James; he returned the favor. She watched as the iron gate shut behind her, and James, most likely, walked back to where he was in the first place. The man wearing the maroon suit cleared his throat.

"Might this perhaps be your first visit to Rustburo?"

Xyza pushed him away tentatively. "Um, yes, but I'm only here for a short while. I'm actually looking for someone." He was about to conduct her to the pokemon center at seeing her bruised Mudkip, when someone who looked vaguely familiar ran by and pushed the escort away, panting heavily.

"HEY! YOUNG GIRL!" He ran up to Xyza and started shaking her shoulders violently and screaming in her face. It was Talon. _Big surprise._ The escort just flinched, watching Talon throw a bitch fit.

"THEY STOLE IT! THEY STOLE IT! OH NO, OH NO…" He kept hold on her shoulders, but flopped his head down and made crying sounds.

"Wow. Um, I'm sorry?" He shot his head back up and started shaking Xyza again. "What the hell am I supposed to do about it? Huh? I don't have a pokemon! I can't battle that man in the blue robe! _WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?_" Xyza puffed her cheeks in, rather annoyed.

"Ok, first of all… _SHUT THE HELL UP!_" Xyza screeched and pushed him off of her. He stood there somewhat depressed-like. "Second of all, what did this man steal? Was it the same dude as before? What's his face, um, Avanto? Avaton? Afrelon? Afeeros?" Talon shook his head.

"Oh, I don't know. He was wearing the same thing, but he was a bit shorter… kind of… chubbier…" He sighed deeply. "He stole what that other man was looking for earlier. It's crucial, so crucial, you have no idea…" Talon grimaced, but then sprung up quickly in excitement, an enormous grin spreading from ear to ear.

"I KNOW!" He cheered and began shaking Xyza again, who was becoming rather dizzy. "YOU CAN GO GET IT FOR ME!" He stopped once more, and Xyza cringed, up-tightly, as the escort scooted away subtly from the drama scene.

"Huh? Why should I do that? You can do it yourself, for Rayquazas-sakes." Talon ignored her statement and pointed farther north.

"Just keep going up that way until the black gate ends, and the marble turns into grass, and then turn eastward towards the Rusturf Tunnel. That man couldn't have got too far, there are too many workers and he looks suspicious enough. Would you do this for me… for the Devon Corporation, please?" She blinked.

"Um, if there are workers there, can't they do it?" Talon glowered.

"Just, please, do it. It's very important that we have that package and that it gets delivered. If someone potentially evil has it, what could possibly happen?" Xyza sighed, rolled her eyes, and buried her face into her palms.

"Gah. Ok, ok, I'll do it. What kind of package is it?" Talon turned his gaze westward, toward the Devon Corporation building. "Hurry up. There isn't alot of time left." Xyza growled to herself. She really disliked this Talon guy, but he seemed pretty desperate; so, she decided to be saintly and help him.

"Here I come, Rusturf Tunnel. Hope you're ready."

**X**

Xyza followed Talon's directions exactly, until she came upon a construction sight and a small rest house. Bulky, but sweaty workers were carrying equipment, sitting on equipment, using equipment, and the like. Xyza just stood there as dust and mulch from the manufacturing floated around the atmosphere.

A man with a white bandana and spiky red hair carrying a yellow drill walked by Xyza and halted in front of her.

"Excuse me, darling, but this site is off limits to civilians. You see, we are trying to build a passageway here to Vanderturf, but there have been a few disturbances… lately… anyhow, can I help you?" He grunted as he handed off the drill to another worker.

"Um… yes… can you tell me where Rusturf Tunnel is? I'm supposed to get something from a guy in a blue robe… did you see anyone like that pass through here?" The worker laughed, throwing his head back. He wiped the bridge of his nose with a sweaty bronze palm.

"No, I haven't. He must've taken the high road. Sneaky little bastard." He began to laugh again, until a cat like pokemon started prancing around his feet.

"Oh shit! A wild pokemon on the construction site!" He started spinning his head in all sorts of directions. Mudkip jumped out of Xyza's arms and went to sniff the little creature. Xyza bit her lip.

"Is that a problem or something? I mean dude, what do you expect… those things are like everywhere and stuff…" He held his fist up inches away from her face. "Listen you, if you can get that pokemon away from here, I'll let you pass through to Rusturf Tunnel. I'd rather have you go to an off-limit site then see a little harmless Skitty get crushed." Xyza stood still for a moment, and then turned to face her Mudkip and the Skitty playing around together. Xyza picked up Mudkip again, even as it struggled, and tried to shoo the peach colored cat creature away.

"Go on, nice Skitty… bye-bye now… HEY! MUDKIP! OUCH! THAT HURT DAMNIT!" Xyza nurtured her throbbing arm that Mudkip had bitten as Mudkip jumped out of her grasp once more. She continued to play with the Skitty as Xyza, clutching her turnip red limb, snarled.

"Fine, little pokemon, if you don't want to go nicely, I'll have to get rid of you another way." She brought out a pokeball and slammed it at the Skitty. The sphere rotated and glowed for a few minutes, and finally stopped. She had another companion with her.

"Yeesh, thank Rayquaza that worked." She turned around to see the worker observing her. "Um…"

"Alright. You and your Mudkip can go through. Hurry up though," he shouted at her as she skipped to the cave, "or else you could get hurt!"

Xyza heeded his warning and traveled into the dark, mysterious Rusturf Tunnel without any concern except to find that package for Talon, and to get her ass out of Rustboro.

**X**

Xyza felt a crumbling and heard deep growling sounds inside the cave. She could hardly see with all the green mist hanging around, and it was hard to breathe. Xyza coughed vehemently.

"What kind of weird place is this?"

"Rusturf Tunnel, if you must know. I'm sure you came from Rustboro, you couldn't have just dropped out of thin air, even someone as beautiful as you." Xyza spun around to see a Brendan grinning roguishly with a hand through his hair, as usual. Xyza gritted her teeth and spoon-fed a mouthful of questions at him.

"BRENDAN BIRCH! YOU COULDN'T TELL IT WAS ME FROM THE BACK? GODAMN IDIOT, AND WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU? YOU RAN AWAY FROM ME AND I GOT LOST! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ANYWAYS? IT'S OFF LIMITS!" Brendan's cheeks turned red and he almost toppled over, tripping backwards as she shouted directly in his face, inching closer with every question.

"Xyza?" He waddled to her once she backed off, and he regained his balance. Brendan blinked, in a confused yet smug manner. "What do you mean, what am I doing here? What are _you_ doing here?" Xyza huffed and crossed her arms.

"_I_ happen to be looking for some… guy… yea… in a blue robe who claims he's part of Team Aqua. He stole something important from the Devon Corporation, and the task was handed over to _me_ to take care of." Brendan looked at her like she just came back from a roundtrip to Mars.

"Wait… did you say… Team Aqua…"

"Yep."

"Devon Corporation…wants…"

"Uh-huh."

"Important… mission…_you_?"

"Yo, man, do I need to speak in another language? _Coma Estas? Bien?_ Ok, Brendan el-retard-o. _Si. Importante._ Yes, I'm serious; _I_ was given an important mission to take care of. What's your deal?" Xyza bit her tongue, and Brendan scoffed, running his hand through his hair _another_ time.

"No way. That can't be. Why would someone from such an eminent corporation want your help? You're nothing but… a novice. What's so great about _you_?" Xyza slammed her right fist into her left palm.

"Like hell I'm a novice! So are you, mister Birch. If you had stuck with me, and not ran away like the bastard you are, maybe you could understand why _I_ have to do this. It's not like I _wanted_ to or anything. Rayquaza, I'd probably let you do it, but the guy this mysterious person stole from keeps breathing down my neck just because I saved him once from another Team Aqua dude in the Petalburg Woods, _and_…"

"Hold it, hold it, hold it. Let me comprehend your blabber. You said… you _fought_ a member of Team Aqua?"

Xyza nodded and Brendan frowned for a spilt second.

"How in Rayquaza…"

A man in a blue robe jumped lock on in front of the two quarreling teens.

"HIYAH!" He was holding a minor switchblade in his left hand, and had a pokemon, a Grimer to be exact, by his other. He grumbled. "Excuse me, I happen to believe you two are in my… way." The guy lifted his hood, revealing a brown, receding hairline; he was rather pale, and the same height as Xyza, who was tall for a girl, but short for a full grown man such as this. He squinted at the pair.

"Step aside, young trainers… or I shall have to deal with you _otherwise_. It won't be pleasant." Xyza snorted as Brendan took the honor of going up to the mysterious male and protecting Xyza, holding her behind him. Xyza, however, tried to bite him numerous times, as this was her task, and she didn't need this doofus screwing it up. Brendan just ignored her coolly.

"What's your name, shorty?" The man gave him an offensive glare and growled. "That is none of your business. Besides, I wouldn't be calling me names if I were you, pussy." Brendan was about to pursue more questions, and probably fist this guy, when Xyza punched him in the middle of his spine. She was _finally_ able to take care of her own business.

"Thanks Brendan, how noble of you." She smiled sadistically as he stifled his back in anguish. "I can really take care of myself you know, though, so _you_ just relax and take care of _your_self, ok? Right." Xyza stopped grinning and turned to face the Team Aqua member.

"Um, ok, hi. Uh…"

"_Hi_." He mocked her. "What do you want? I can crush you and your friend in a second, if you two aren't able to abide by my request." He paused to grimace and mumble spitefully. "Get out of my way, _please_." He struggled to say the last part, obviously why he was in a scheming team as it were. Xyza clenched her jaw and marched closer to him.

"Nuh-uh, buddy, it's not going to work that way. You have something that I need back…so, um, I think, that since it doesn't belong to you, you should give it back… like I just said…um…and why do you really need it anyways? It's not like it's a billion dollars or something…"

He doubled over, cackling. "You must be joking. Why would I give it to you? My… pardon, _Team Aqua's_ business with the Devon Goods is not of your concern, nor is it wise of you to meddle…"

Xyza brought out her Skitty and had it shoot little beams resembling stars at his face. He bended backwards in distress, eyes broad with ire.

"God_damn_!" He snarled and regained his posture. "GRIMER!" The smelly, gooey pokemon slinked its way towards him. "Use mud-slap on that Skitty, there, now!" Grimer and Skitty engaged in a tough battle as Xyza started to attack this man for the Goods.

"Are you a –grunt- member of Team Magma, -grunt- perhaps?" He pushed Xyza off him and attempted to throw his switchblade in her throat, but she dodged it. Brendan picked it up as they continued to fight, they being rather unaware of his own plan.

"Someone –ugh- had already asked me that –heave- before…" She rolled under his grasp and stabilized herself behind a rock. She huffed a hefty scoop of air; fighting took up plenty of energy.

"I don't even know what the hell Team Magma is!" He jumped over the boulder and grabbed her throat; Xyza gurgled, gasping for air.

"Don't lie to me, and I'll let you go." She said nothing. He tightened his grip. "So, now you want to put up a fight? Hah, you _must_ be a member of Team Magma… otherwise, you wouldn't bother trying to take this from me! Why don't you be a good little girl and leave me alone, yes? It won't count against you, I promise." Xyza tried to kick his crotch, but he dodged and pinned her flat against the cavern wall.

His wrinkled, tense face pressed into hers as he hissed, bolting her in a position where she couldn't move. She was able to glance at her Skitty and the Grimer; both looked in fairly bad shape. She tried to scream out to Brendan, wherever the hell he was, probably ran away again, but the Team Aqua grunt pressed his palm over her lips, his right hand still locking her to the wall.

"I'll say it again… tell me who…where…ugh…ah…" His grip tightened immensely for a split second, only to fall apart limply, his black, coldhearted eyes rolling back into his head. The man, with an opened, drooling mouth, receded into the mud and rock, dead. Xyza saw dark blood seeping onto the floor, flowing like a little river in drought. She dared not to look up, but couldn't stop herself from finding out who had saved her _this time_. James, again? One of the workers, or that wacko guide in Rustboro? Perhaps, but what would see, she could never believe that person was her savior.

_Brendan Birch._


End file.
